September 30, 2021

By George Farelli

Canadian Baseball Network

Crafty.

Cunning.

Or maybe sneaky.

They all apply to veteran lefty Andrew Albers. They all have been used when Albers pitched in the majors, Korea or Japan.

And they could have been used this week as Albers worked five steady innings as the St. Paul Saints beat the Iowa Cubs 11-1 before 4,055 fans at CHS Field.

The effort earned Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) yet another Canadian Baseball Network minor league player of the week honour for Week XXI.

Albers was in control of the proceedings leaving with a 6-1 lead. He allowed a runner in each of the first three innings, but didn’t suffer any damage. He did allow a solo homer to Christopher Morel in the fourth.

In all, Albers pitched five innings allowing one run on four hits while walking two and fanning seven.

How it went for Albers ...

First: fly ball to left, strike out swinging, bunt single, ground ball to second.

Second: Strike out, 1B Jared Young (Prince George, BC) walks, line out to centre, wild pitch, strike out swinging.

Third: Grounder to first, walk, stolen base, pop up to first and strike out swinging.

Fourth: Fly ball to right, Morel homers to left centre, Young grounds out, single, strike out looking.

Fifth: Strike out swinging, line out, single, struck out swinging.

Albers threw 86 pitches, 55 for strikes (64.5%).

* * *

Only nine Canadians were active in Week XXI -- all at the triple-A level -- as the rest of affiliated ball in double-A and class-A teams were in playoff play and deciding championship play.

The nine active Canucks were LHP Ryan Kellogg (Whitby, Ont.) and 1B Jared Young (Prince George, BC) both at triple-A Iowa in the Chicago Cubs system, INF Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) and C Kellin Deglan (Langley, BC), both at triple-A Buffalo in the Blue Jays system, RHP Jameson Taillon (The Woodlands, Tex.) triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre of the New York Yankees, RHP Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont. -- Canada’s first capital) promoted to triple-A Tacoma in the Mariners system, OF Jacob Robson (Windsor, Ont.) of triple-A Toledo with the Detroit Tigers system, LHP Rob Zastryzny (Edmonton, Alta.) with the triple-A Jacksonville, part of the Miami Marlins system and Albers.

Best Offense Performance

Player/Class/Team AB R H HR RBI AVG

Otto Lopez - AAA Buffalo 17 2 6 - 3 ,353

(Minimum 10 ABs)

Best Pitching Performance

Andrew Albers Lhp - AAA St. Paul Saints

APP IP H R ER BB K W-L SV WHIP WK ERA

1 5.0 4 1 1 2 7 1-0 - 1.20 1.80

Signed as a free agent prior to the 2021 season, Andrew Albers was a 35 year old entering his 13th pro season and, as it turned out, he proved to be a wise investment by the Minnesota Twins. Assigned to St. Paul Saints their affiliate at triple A-East, and expected to be a reliable veteran presence on the staff, he pitched well enough during the season to merit call up to the majors on two separate occasions.

Not surprisingly, he finished strongly on Sept. 26th in an 11-1 win over the Iowa Cubs, when he threw five innings gave up four base hits and one earned run while striking out seven Cubs batters, to earn his seventh win of the season. This result improved his overall record in 17 Triple A outings with the Saints, to 7-4 with a 3.75 ERA.

* * *,

Player of the Week

Week I _ Noah Skirrow (Stoney Creek, Ont.) Jersey Shore BlueClaws (Phillies).

Week II _ Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Jays) and Trevor Brigden (Toronto, Ont.) class-A Charleston River Dogs (Rays).

Week III _ Andrew Yerzy (Toronto, Ont.) class-A Hillsboro Hops/class-A Visailia Oaks (Diamondbacks)

Week IV _ Indigo Diaz (North Vancouver, BC) class-A Rome Braves (Braves)

Week V _ Edouard Julien (Ancienne-Lorette, Que.) class-A Ft. Myers Mighty Mussels (Twins).

Week VI _ RHP Logan Hofmann (Muenster, Sask.) class-A Bradenton Marauders (Pirates)

Week VII _ INF-OF Otto Lopez (Montreal, Que.) double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Jays).

Week VIII _ RHP Cade Smith (Abbotsford, BC) class-A Lynchburg Hillcats (Cleveland)

Week IX _ RHP Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) double-A Wichita Wind Surge (Twins)

Week X _ C Kole Cottam (Knoxville, Tenn.) class-A East Greenville (Red Sox)

Week XI _ RHP Jordan Balazovic (Mississauga, Ont.) double-A Wichita Wind Surge (Twins)

Week XII _ OF Owen Caissie (Burlington, Ont.) rookie-class Arizona Complex League (Cubs).

Week XIII_OF Jordan Nwogu (Ottawa, Ont.) low-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans (Cubs)

Weej XIV _ OF Demi Orimoloye, Orleans, Ont. Double-A New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Jays)

Week XV _ OF Dalton Pompey, Mississauga, Ont., Triple-A Salt Lake Bees (Angels)

WEEK XVI _ C Andrew Yerzy, Toronto, Ont. Class-A Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks).

WEEK XVII _ DH Jean-Christophe Masson, Levis, Que., FCL Blue Jays (Jays).

WEEK XVIII _ RHP Matt Brash (Kingston, Ont.) double-A Arkansas Travellers (Mariners).

WEEK XIX _ RHP Garrett Hawkins (Biggar, Sask.) Rookie-Class Arizona Complex League Padres (Padres).

WEEK XX _ 1B Matt Lloyd (Okotoks, Alta.) double-A Chattanooga Lookouts (Reds).

WEEK XXI _ LHP Andrew Albers (North Battleford, Sask.) triple-A St. Paul Saints (Twins).